Tenjo adjusted his cuffs, and looked down at his zipper realizing that it was half opened. He laughed, and leaned over the cubicle Shen was in and said. "Mind zipping it up for me pastry prince? I don't mind switching over to boys."
Shen blinked in shock, his heart skipping a beat as Tenjo leaned over the cubicle, eyes gleaming with that mischievous sparkle. The boldness of Tenjo's words caught him completely off guard.
Shen's mouth opened but nothing came out, a mix of surprise, awkwardness, and a twinge of something he couldn't quite place flooding his mind. His gaze involuntarily shifted down to Tenjo's zipper, and his face instantly turned crimson. He quickly averted his eyes, muttering something unintelligible under his breath.
Tenjo smirked, clearly amused at Shen's discomfort. "Oh, come on, don't be shy. I was just joking," he teased, straightening up and adjusting his blazer. "Though, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious to see how you'd handle it."
Shen couldn't help but let out a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the tension. "Yeah, well, I'm not exactly in the business of fixing zippers for people. Especially not for... well, that."
"Get yourself fixed up, let me get you out of here." Tenjo scoffed, zipping up and washing his hands off. He waited at the door for Shen to finish up and together, they took the other direction inside the hall.
"This is not outside..."
"Yeah, I'm going to see my mom for a bit and after that I will take you out of here."
"I should follow you?"
"Your business not mine." Shen glanced at Tenjo, unsure if he should feel flustered or intrigued. Renji was already moving toward the exit, his pace quick and confident, as though he was used to getting exactly what he wanted. Shen hesitated for a moment before following him, still processing what had just happened.
As Tenjo knocked on a glass door, Shen caught sight of a nameplate: Sakura Kushina. The door swung open without any kind of formal response, and Tenjo stepped in, calling out casually.
"Mom, did you later get the gaming pad I asked you for?" Tenjo's voice had a teasing edge to it, but Shen couldn't quite place whether it was genuine curiosity or a playful jab.
Inside, the atmosphere shifted from the casual, busy hall to a more personal space, a cozy office filled with plush furniture and well-lit shelves. Tenjo's mother, Sakura Kushina, was seated behind a large desk, looking every bit the powerful figure that Tenjo often hinted at. Her sharp features softened as she looked up from her papers, and her eyes lingered on Shen for a moment before returning to her son.
"Ah, Tenjo. Of course, I did. The one with the extra buttons you wanted, right? It's in the corner." She motioned to a neat corner of the office where a small box lay on a table, as if it had been waiting for him.
Shen stood awkwardly by the door, watching the interaction between mother and son. He couldn't quite decipher whether there was warmth there or if it was just the way they communicated—casual but distant.
Tenjo, seemingly unfazed by Shen's presence, strolled over to the box, his hands already reaching for it. "Thanks, Mom. I'll get it when I leave," he said, tossing a smile her way.
Sakura didn't smile back, but there was a glimmer of affection in her eyes. "You're welcome. But don't get distracted, Tenjo. I'll need you later for the meeting." Her head buried once again in the paperwork and Tenjo just took a seat on the soft cushion. "Did you forget something at the door?"
She asked, her eyes only noticing the door open but not the figure in between it.
"That's my friend, Shen. Come in, asshole. Don't let the cold air slip away." He chuckled, motioning to the socket to connect the gaming pad to the mega flat screen above.
Shen hesitated for a moment at Tenjo's invitation, still unsure of how to react. The whole situation was unfolding much faster than he was prepared for. He slowly stepped inside, glancing around the office, trying to process the scene. He caught hold of the giant flat screen on the wall caught his attention, showing some sort of game interface.
Tenjo's mother, Sakura Kushina, gave him a brief look as he walked in, her sharp, observant gaze flickering briefly over him before she returned to her paperwork. There was a calm intensity about her, a sense that she wasn't easily rattled. Yet, despite her poised demeanor, there was something about her that didn't seem like the typical corporate powerhouse Shen expected.
She was undeniably stunning—her youthful features and confident posture gave off the impression that she could easily pass for someone much younger than her actual age. Shen found himself momentarily distracted by her elegance.
"Shen, meet my mother," Tenjo said, throwing a casual gesture toward the woman as if he had just introduced him to a friend. "Mom, this is Shen, the pastry prince."
Sakura's eyes softened for a moment as she acknowledged Shen, her lips curling into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile. "It's nice to meet you, Shen," she said in a voice that carried both warmth and authority, making Shen feel like she was sizing him up in an instant. "Make yourself comfortable."
Shen felt suddenly out of place. Was this how Tenjo interacted with his mother? So casual, like they were just two friends in the same room? He awkwardly shifted from one foot to the other, his mind still trying to catch up with what was happening.
Tenjo, completely unfazed, reached over and grabbed the gaming pad from the corner, hooking it up to the socket as he sat on one of the soft cushions. "You can sit down if you want," he added, nodding toward the other cushion across from him.
Shen hesitated for a moment but then complied, sitting down across from Tenjo. His gaze kept flicking between Tenjo and Sakura, wondering if these two weren't just siblings rather than mother and son. The similarities were so striking that they could even be compared as twins.
"So mom, how is your date going? Any luck so far?"
Sakura coughed awkwardly shifting gaze from Shen to Tenjo as a subtle note that a visitor was around. She didn't seem so comfortable talking about her dating issue.
"Shen is the least of your problem. He wouldn't even care."
Tenjo sighed heavily, rubbing her temples as if trying to alleviate the stress that had built up over the past few days. "I haven't been able to leave my office for more than two days. You know, planning and hosting influencers in the fashion industry isn't child's play. I still have some business flights and meetings lined up. I'm so exhausted, but I have to make more money to keep you comfortable, darling."
Tenjo raised an eyebrow, as though this wasn't the first time he'd heard this kind of complaint. He leaned back casually in the cushion, looking completely relaxed despite his mother's evident stress. "But sex is more fun than working," he said nonchalantly, a sly smirk spreading across his face. "Don't you want to get loose? A little fun could make all that work a bit more bearable, right?"
Shen's eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw almost hitting the floor. He turned to Sakura, his brow furrowing in confusion and shock. "You... you let him talk to you like that?" he stammered, glancing at Tenjo's mother, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. "If it were me, I'd be buried in the ground by now, or my father would have axed my head off!"
Sakura, however, didn't seem phased. She shot a knowing look at Tenjo, her gaze a mix of exasperation and fondness. "I know my son. He's always been like this. Doesn't know when to shut up, but... I love him anyway." Her voice was calm, as though she had accepted this behavior long ago, which left Shen even more perplexed.
Tenjo just chuckled, not the slightest bit embarrassed by Shen's reaction. "Relax, pastry prince. Mom and I have a special understanding," he said, the hint of mischief never leaving his face. "She knows I speak my mind, even if it's not always the most appropriate. So, Mom," he began, his voice still light and teasing, "I just had the best quickie with Ino. You know, the one from Konoha Designs? I need you to put her name up on the models showing up for the runway tomorrow."
Sakura raised an eyebrow, her expression not changing in the slightest as she lifted her gaze from the paperwork in front of her. "Hope you used a condom at least," she said dryly, her tone cutting through the air like a sharp blade. "Gosh, Tenjo, you're going to get someone pregnant before I even begin to grow old, aren't you?"
Tenjo chuckled, clearly entertained by his mother's no-nonsense attitude. "I'm always careful, don't worry," he replied nonchalantly, leaning back further into the cushion. "But yeah, her name's Ino, and she's with Konoha Designs. Add her to the list, will you?"
Sakura sighed, rubbing her temples again. "I swear, you're a walking disaster," she muttered under her breath before returning to the task at hand. "Fine. I'll add her to the list, but Tenjo, please—keep your zipper up next time. We don't need another incident like last week."
Tenjo rolled his eyes playfully but didn't argue, knowing full well that his mother's patience with him had worn thin many times over the years. "Alright, alright, I'll keep it zipped, Mom. Promise," he said, though the mischievous gleam in his eye suggested otherwise.
"Um, I need to take my leave now sweetheart. Don't spoil anything in my office or I will throw you out the next time you come in here, got it?"